{"id":34749,"date":"2021-10-09T08:10:52","date_gmt":"2021-10-09T14:10:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=34749"},"modified":"2022-04-03T08:26:45","modified_gmt":"2022-04-03T14:26:45","slug":"mount-taylor-la-mosca-lookout-san-mateo-mountains-new-mexico-5-19-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=34749","title":{"rendered":"Mount Taylor & La Mosca Lookout, San Mateo Mountains, New Mexico (5-19-21)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Days 11 & 12 of Lupe’s 1st Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to New Mexico!<\/em><\/p>\n

5-18-21, evening –<\/em><\/p>\n

Stopped raining, SPHP!<\/em><\/p>\n

Your point, Loop?<\/em><\/p>\n

Can we go for a walk?<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh, I suppose.\u00a0 Why not?<\/em><\/p>\n

Strolling SE from the Gooseberry Trailhead on USFS Road No. 193, a junction with unmarked No. 501 was soon reached.\u00a0 A less developed road, it looked more intriguing.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog had barely started sniffing S along it when SPHP noticed a collection of white plastic gallon milk jugs abandoned E of the road.\u00a0 Strange.\u00a0 Who just dumps stuff like that in the forest, anyway?<\/p>\n

A little past the milk jugs a faint trail headed E.<\/p>\n

Wonder where this goes, Looper?<\/em><\/p>\n

Let’s find out, SPHP!<\/em><\/p>\n

10 minutes brought Lupe to two water troughs, a round blue one and a rectangular green one.\u00a0 Both were full.<\/p>\n

Odd.\u00a0 Wonder why these are here?<\/em><\/p>\n

Maybe deer drink from them, SPHP?<\/em><\/p>\n

You might be right, Loop.\u00a0 Sure doesn’t seem like cattle country.\u00a0 In any case, we better head back before it gets dark.\u00a0 I didn’t bring a flashlight.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Gooseberry Trailhead<\/strong> along USFS Road No. 193 NE of Grants, New Mexico.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

5-19-21, 7:32 AM, 37\u00baF, Gooseberry Trailhead<\/em> – Show time!\u00a0 Crossing USFS Road No. 193, Lupe headed NE up Trail No. 77, climbing through open forest past lumpy gray-brown rocks sporting light green lichens.\u00a0 The American Dingo was soon past most of the rocks.\u00a0 The trail leveled out as it curved SE.\u00a0 Upon reaching larger rock formations, the trail dropped 40 feet into a broad valley.<\/p>\n

The Gooseberry Spring drainage contained several dry gullies, including one crossed by planks.\u00a0 On the far side, a switchback brought Lupe to a sign.\u00a0 Only 2 miles to Mount Taylor<\/span><\/a> (11,301 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Setting off for Mount Taylor on Gooseberry Trail No. 77.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Early on among the first rocks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
In the level region.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Crossing the Gooseberry Spring drainage<\/strong>. Trail No. 77 starts out W of this drainage, not E of it as shown on the topo map<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Only 2 miles from the summit after crossing the Gooseberry Spring drainage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SE of the Gooseberry Spring drainage, Trail No. 77 resumed a steady climb.\u00a0 Loopster passed through a beautiful stand of large white-barked aspens.\u00a0 Sometimes there were glimpses of the big rounded ridge on the other side of the valley.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Among the aspens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking NNE across the Gooseberry Spring valley<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Beyond the aspens, Trail No. 77 broke out of the forest.\u00a0 A 0.5+ mile long slope, mostly open, but dotted with pines, rose to the E.\u00a0 As Lupe gained elevation, distant views appeared back to the W.\u00a0 Trees were scarce by the time the Carolina Dog reached a minor saddle at the upper end of the slope.\u00a0 Crossing the saddle, the trail started up the SE side of a ridge providing views of Rinconada Canyon.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Starting up the long slope after leaving most of the forest behind. Photo looks WSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Up on the ridgeline with a view of Rinconada Canyon<\/strong>. HP10767<\/span><\/strong> (R). Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Heading up the SE side of the ridge. Photo looks NNE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Upper Rinconada Canyon<\/strong>. Photo looks ESE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After 0.25 mile on the Rinconada Canyon side of the ridge, Trail No. 77 crossed back over to the Gooseberry side again at an open spot where the ridge was broad and gently rounded.\u00a0 Due N, long switchbacks were now visible leading to the top of a big hill.\u00a0 The trail passed a cluster of large rock formations along the way.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Re-crossing the ridge. Mount Taylor summit<\/strong> (L) ahead! Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Approaching the rock formations. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking back from a switchback. HP10767<\/span><\/strong> (Center). Photo looks SSE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Closing in on the summit! Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Two people were already at the summit when the Carolina Dog arrived.\u00a0 Loop briefly met Jay of Jay Wanders Out<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, and “Pocket Rocket”, a young woman from Germany.\u00a0 Pocket Rocket was through hiking the 3,100 mile CDT (Continental Divide Trail<\/strong><\/span><\/a>).\u00a0 Taking a break from logistical support, Jay was accompanying her.\u00a0 Apparently Mount Taylor<\/span><\/a> (11,301 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0is an optional alternate route along the official CDT.<\/p>\n

Jay and Pocket Rocket soon moved on, leaving Lupe and SPHP alone on Mount Taylor.\u00a0 Not much to explore.\u00a0 The summit region was plenty roomy, but wasn’t huge.\u00a0 Most of it was rocky and open with sweeping views, except toward the forested N slope.\u00a0 A sturdy metal sign stood at the high point, topped by an image that looked like Pogo<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 Behind this sign was a man-made crater several feet deep that served no discernable purpose.\u00a0 Beneath the sign someone had left a plastic whiskey bottle, contents partially consumed.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the atmosphere was rather hazy.\u00a0 Despite the haze, far to the SSE a double-topped peak could be made out that looked like it might be Ladrones Benchmark<\/span><\/a> (9,210 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 A long distant ridge to the E was almost certainly Sandia Crest<\/span><\/a> (10,678 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 Lupe could see many lower hills and ridges, but nothing else stood out as being anywhere close to as high as Mount Taylor.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
At the true summit<\/strong>. Ladrones Benchmark<\/strong> (?) (L of Center) faintly on the horizon. Photo looks SSE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Most of the summit region. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking ENE over Water Canyon<\/strong>. Sandia Crest<\/strong> (R) on the horizon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Sandia Crest<\/strong>. Photo looks E with help from the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
View to the SW toward Grants.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

40 minutes after arriving at the summit, Lupe was relaxing enjoying the views when suddenly there was a noise, followed by a friendly greeting.\u00a0 Mary Poppins was here!\u00a0 Well, the Swiss version, anyway.\u00a0 Carrying a small black umbrella, a young man from Switzerland appeared.\u00a0 Lupe met Pascal – trail name “Crush”.<\/p>\n

Like Pocket Rocket, Crush was also hiking the CDT.\u00a0 In fact, Crush knew Pocket Rocket, having met her on the Pacific Crest Trail<\/strong><\/span><\/a> (PCT) back in 2018.\u00a0 Since he’d started at the Mexican border a week later than Pocket Rocket, Crush hadn’t caught up with her on the CDT yet.\u00a0 SPHP told him he had missed her right here on Mount Taylor by just half an hour.<\/p>\n

In addition to the PCT, Crush had also hiked the Arizona Trail<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, an 800+ mile long experience where he had seen 10 rattlesnakes per day.\u00a0 Crush spent 8 months every year traveling the world.\u00a0 Praising the long trails the Americans had built, Crushed marveled at the vast emptiness of the United States.\u00a0 Scandinavia was the only part of Europe as hiker friendly that still had significant open space.<\/p>\n

Why the umbrella on such a sunny day?\u00a0 Crush preferred the umbrella to the chemicals in sunscreen.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
With Pascal “Crush” on Mount Taylor<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Still early in the day.\u00a0 La Mosca Lookout<\/span><\/a> (11,036 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, only 1.25 miles NE as the crow flies, was going to be Lupe’s next stop.\u00a0 Since La Mosca was Crush’s next destination, too, Loop and SPHP joined him on the descent from Mount Taylor.\u00a0 Lupe was happy to find a bit of snow still melting in the forest on Mount Taylor’s upper N slopes.\u00a0 Shortly after leaving the forest, La Mosca Lookout came into view.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Last of the snow on Mount Taylor’s upper N slopes<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Descending Mount Taylor<\/strong> with Crush. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
La Mosca Lookout<\/strong> (Center) comes into view. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the way down to the saddle leading to La Mosca Lookout, Jay was coming back up Mount Taylor, having parted ways with Pocket Rocket, who was continuing N along the CDT.\u00a0 Turned out Crush and Jay had known each other for several years, but had never actually met before.<\/p>\n

20 minutes went by as Jay and Crush exchanged greetings, and had a chat.\u00a0 The big news was that the recent spring snowstorm in Colorado had dumped a lot of snow.\u00a0 Parts of the CDT were still impassable up that way.\u00a0 CDT’ers who had gotten an early start on the trek N this year were stacked up waiting for the snow to melt.<\/p>\n

Jay eventually went on his way.\u00a0 Looper’s journey to La Mosca Lookout resumed.\u00a0 By now it was lunch time.\u00a0 Down at the saddle leading to La Mosca, Crush decided to stop and eat in the shade of another forested area.\u00a0 Meanwhile, Lupe and SPHP continued up a gravel road leading to the lookout.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Heading up the road to La Mosca Lookout<\/strong>. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Getting close to the top. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The road curled around La Mosca’s upper S slopes over to the E side of the mountain before turning N.\u00a0 It soon ended between a collection of big towers and a stone stairway leading up to the actual fire lookout tower perched on the true summit.<\/p>\n

A worker was getting the lookout tower ready prior to the summer fire season.\u00a0 Several windows had been broken out, so SPHP helped Lupe avoid the numerous shards of glass strewn about.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Approaching the La Mosca fire lookout tower. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Near the end of the road. Photo looks NNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
On the stone steps. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not a single tree!\u00a0 La Mosca Lookout<\/span><\/a> (11,036 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> provided unobstructed views in all directions.\u00a0 A battered sign SE of the tower proclaimed the elevation.\u00a0 To the N were views of mysterious, rumpled desert lowlands.\u00a0 Sandia Crest<\/span><\/a> (10,678 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> was visible on the E horizon, while Mount Taylor<\/span><\/a> (11,301 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> dominated the view to the SW.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
By the battered sign atop La Mosca Lookout<\/strong>. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking E. Sandia Crest<\/strong> on the horizon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Mount Taylor<\/strong> from La Mosca Lookout. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking N toward the communications towers and desert lowlands.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe kept an eye out for Crush, and eventually saw him coming up the road.\u00a0 He soon joined Loopster and SPHP up on La Mosca Lookout.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Crush (Center) as a tiny speck coming up the road. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Waiting for Crush to arrive. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Crush and Loop on La Mosca Lookout<\/strong>. Mount Taylor<\/strong> (Center). Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A good time was had by all.\u00a0 Crush stayed visiting for nearly half an hour before descending La Mosca’s stone steps to resume his long adventures N along the CDT.\u00a0 Shortly after Crush left, Lupe began her descent, too.\u00a0 Time to head back to Mount Taylor!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
A farewell glance from Crush as he departs. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Starting back to Mount Taylor<\/strong> (L). Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
View to the NW. HP10818<\/span><\/strong> (R).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Approaching the saddle leading to Mount Taylor<\/strong> (Center). Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No one was around the 2nd time Lupe reached Mount Taylor’s summit.\u00a0 Crush had signed a registry stashed in a foldable shelf attached to the back of the Pogo sign.\u00a0 SPHP hadn’t noticed it earlier.\u00a0 This time SPHP added Lupe’s name to the registry.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Back on Mount Taylor<\/strong>. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

20 minutes were spent enjoying the views again before the American Dingo began her 2nd descent, this time heading back to the Gooseberry trailhead.\u00a0 Lupe met several more groups of CDT hikers coming up the mountain, but none as friendly as Crush had been.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Looking down the SSE ridge<\/strong>. HP10767<\/span><\/strong> (Center).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Final moments atop Mount Taylor<\/strong>. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Starting down. Photo looks WSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Gooseberry Trail No. 77, still high on the switchbacks. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

5-19-21, 5:23 PM, 66\u00baF, Gooseberry trailhead –<\/em> Two young men were cooking a meal along the edge of the trailhead parking lot when Looper arrived back at the RAV4.\u00a0 They were from Albuquerque, and had hiked up Taylor Mountain and back down again in the time between Lupe’s 2 ascents.\u00a0 However, they’d started out a day ago from farther down the mountain, and still had a long way to go to get back to their vehicle.\u00a0 Tired and hungry, they didn’t seem inclined to say much more than that.<\/p>\n

Lupe was also hungry, so SPHP heated up a can of beef stew.\u00a0 Full of stew, the Carolina Dog was resting on her pink blanket in the RAV4 while SPHP put away the propane stove when another CDT hiker appeared.\u00a0 He asked if anyone knew where the local CDT water cache was?<\/p>\n

Yeah, as a matter of fact, Lupe and SPHP knew!\u00a0 All those white plastic gallon milk jugs Loop had found yesterday evening along USFS Road No. 501 weren’t actually milk jugs abandoned in the forest.\u00a0 They were the CDT water cache!\u00a0 Crush had happened to mention the water cache up on Mount Taylor.<\/p>\n

SPHP gave the CDT’er directions on how to find the cache, which wasn’t far away.\u00a0 How much water did he need, anyway?\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP had extra water available right here in the RAV4, too.\u00a0 Offering profuse thanks, the CDT’er took only a single small water bottle from the RAV4 before disappearing up Gooseberry Trail No. 77.<\/p>\n

The water conversation with the CDT’er had broken the ice with the two young men from Albuquerque.\u00a0 As soon as the CDT’er left, they said they were about out of water, too, and asked meekly if Lupe and SPHP had any more that could be spared?<\/p>\n

Sure!\u00a0 Got at least a dozen extra bottles!\u00a0 Help yourselves to as much as you want!\u00a0 They did, taking half of the extras.\u00a0 A friendly conversation ensued.\u00a0 When they found out that Lupe intended to head E to Sandia Crest tomorrow, they told SPHP about La Luz Trail No. 37<\/strong><\/span><\/a> that went all the way to the top of Sandia Crest from E Albuquerque.\u00a0 There was also a Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway<\/strong><\/span><\/a> that went up from Tramway Boulevard.\u00a0 Freshly rehydrated, the grateful Albuquerqians eventually continued their trek down the mountain.<\/p>\n

Are we going to take the tramway up Sandia Crest, SPHP?<\/em><\/p>\n

Hmm.\u00a0 I don’t know, Looper.\u00a0 First I’ve heard of it.\u00a0 Not sure what they might think about having an American Dingo passenger?\u00a0 A road goes all the way to the top, too, which is probably both easiest and cheapest, but the tram might be more fun.<\/em><\/p>\n

Taylor Mountain, La Mosca Lookout, meeting Crush, Jay, and Pocket Rocket.\u00a0 Today had been a blast, too!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
With “Crush” on Mount Taylor<\/strong>, San Mateo Mountains, New Mexico 5-19-21<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Links:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Next Adventure<\/span><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Prior Adventure<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0\u00a0Choose from Lupe’s Summer of 2021<\/span> Dingo Vacations to New Mexico, Wyoming & the West Coast Adventure Inde<\/strong><\/span>x<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index<\/span><\/strong><\/a> or Master Adventure Index<\/span><\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0new Lupe adventures<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Days 11 & 12 of Lupe’s 1st Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to New Mexico! 5-18-21, evening – Stopped raining, SPHP! Your point, Loop? Can we go for a walk? Oh, I suppose.\u00a0 Why not? Strolling SE from the Gooseberry Trailhead on USFS Road No. 193, a junction with unmarked No. 501 was soon reached.\u00a0 … Continue reading Mount Taylor & La Mosca Lookout, San Mateo Mountains, New Mexico (5-19-21)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1416],"tags":[105,106,26,1443,1447,1444,104,1442,1429,1448,1446,1441],"class_list":["post-34749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-1416","tag-american-dingo","tag-carolina-dog","tag-dingo-vacations","tag-gooseberry-trailhead","tag-jay-wanders-out","tag-la-mosca-lookout","tag-lupe","tag-mount-taylor","tag-new-mexico","tag-pascal-crush","tag-pocket-rocket","tag-san-mateo-mountains"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_0527.jpg?fit=1651%2C1238&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=34749"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34749\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39197,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34749\/revisions\/39197"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/34704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=34749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=34749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=34749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}